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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Block Island
Go for 2 nights in Jun–Sep: ferry from Point Judith, walk or rent a bike, no car needed. Day-trippers see only Old Harbor.
Block Island is a 12-mile (19 km) island off the Rhode Island coast with about 1,000 year-round residents and a summer population near 10,000. Almost everything sits within walking distance of Old Harbor, where the ferry lands. Two nights lets you cover the beaches, the bluffs and the north-end trails without rushing the ferry.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (most businesses close; wind and rain)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$120–180 excl. bed · Mid US$180–300 excl. bed · High US$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$3–5 |
| Lobster roll | US$25–35 |
| Sandwich or bagel | US$8–15 |
| Dinner main, mid-range | US$20–35 |
| Draught beer | US$7–10 |
| Bike or moped rental, one day | US$30–80 |
| Taxi across the island | US$10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PVD · Rhode Island T. F. Green (Providence)
- About 40 min by car to the Point Judith ferry terminal in Narragansett.
- BOS · Boston Logan
- About 1 h 45 min by car to Point Judith.
- BID · Block Island State Airport
- Seasonal small-plane service from Westerly and Hyannis.
Typical fares
- Point Judith → Old Harbor, fast ferry
- about US$20 one way, 30 min
- Point Judith → Old Harbor, car ferry
- about US$15 one way, 1 h
- Taxi Old Harbor → New Harbor
- US$10–20
Get around
The island is small: Old Harbor to New Harbor is a 20–30 min walk, and taxis meet the ferries. Bikes and mopeds rent near the dock; the car ferry from Point Judith is the only one that takes cars, and summer car space needs booking ahead. Many visitors never bring a car.
See and do
Known for
- Mohegan Bluffs and Southeast Light
- North Light and the north-end trails
- Crescent Beach
- Old Harbor restaurants and bars
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Narragansett and Point Judith | Block Island Ferry from Old Harbor | About 1 h by car ferry, 30 min by fast ferry |
| Westerly and Watch Hill | Seasonal ferry to Westerly, or fly to Westerly State Airport | About 1 h |
| New London, Connecticut | Block Island Express passenger ferry, May–September | About 1 h 30 min |
| Montauk, New York | Seasonal passenger-only ferry | About 1 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Old Harbor
- Where the ferry lands: walk to restaurants, shops and the beach; book months ahead for summer weekends.
- New Harbor / Great Salt Pond
- Marina side, quieter; a 20–30 min walk or short taxi from Old Harbor.
- Corn Neck Road
- Between the two harbors, closer to Crescent Beach and the north-end trails.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Where is the ferry terminal? |
| One ticket, please | One ticket, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a taxi? | Is there a taxi? |
| How far is the beach? | How far is the beach? |
| Thank you | Thank you |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer weekends and holidays fill ferries and beds: book both ahead.
- The stairs down to Mohegan Bluffs are steep; the climb back up is the hard part.
- Mopeds and bikes share narrow roads with cars; ride single file and watch for sand.
- Most seasonal businesses shut from November to March; check what is open before a winter trip.
Very safe for a US resort island; the real risks are the bluffs stairs, bikes and mopeds on narrow roads, and sun exposure on long beach days.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Block Island yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mohegan Bluffs and Southeast Light
- North Light and the north-end trails
- Crescent Beach
- Old Harbor restaurants and bars
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Block Island Tourism Council: www.blockislandinfo.com/
- Block Island Ferry (Interstate Navigation): www.blockislandferry.com/
- Block Island Express: www.goblockisland.com/
- Wikivoyage: Block Island, revision 5241991 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241991
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Block Island
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies on the island; consulates in Boston and New York. US travellers: 911.
English is the only language you need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/block-island). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.